Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-01
TRAIN wRECKEHs CAUGHT.
A Narrow Escape from Death for
Many Passengers.


From SUNDAYS .yacksonUille Times Union.
Yesterday afternoon Sheriff Holland
was notified by the officials OF the Florida
Railway and Navigation Company that q
plot had been arranged for the wrecking,
last night, of the incoming passenger
train On that road, which was due here
at go O'Clock.
The wreck was TO be caused at bridge
or treste on the road, some seven or eight
miles from the city. The trestle is about
thirty feet long and ten feet high. and
had the iends carried out their purpose
there is no telling how many lives would
have been lost, to say nothing Of the de-
struction of valuable property.
Sheriff Holland at once summoned
Deputies George +. AoOsta and E. j. Muir
ply, and each arming himself with a
double-barreled shotgun, heavily loaded
with buckshot, besides pistols, ETC., re-
paired to the locality.
shortly after dark the officers heard two
men approaching, and soon afterward
thew arrived and stopped within fifteen
feet of where the officers were secreted.
They then engaged in a conversation for
a short time az TO their plan of action,
during which time the officers, who
were lying motionless, overheard every
word spoken between them. In their
conversation one of the negroes said that
he had murdered three persons In War
rem county. Ca, while in attendance
on festival there, and succeeded in
making his escape. After laying all their
plans they divided, one going in one di-
rection and the other in another, in
search OF piece of iron with which they
proposed TO wreck the train by placing it
across the track.
During their absence 1t was arranged
between the officers that they should not
stir until the men had arranged the OBJ
struction, and then at a signal to be given
by the sheriff by means of swapping his
fingers, all three should spring out from
behind the bushes, arrest and secure the
fends, and then remove the iron in time
to allow the train to Dass over,
About 10 minutes before the time for
the arrival of the train one OF the men re-
turned with piece of railroad iron ABOUT
six feet long, which he carefully placed
across the rail on the south side OF the
track, aud as IL was arranged it would
have been utterly impossible for an en-
CINE or cars to have passed over.
After he had completed his work he
whistled to the other man to come. and
was turning to leave when the sheriff
gave the signal. Almost Instantly the
wOuld-be wholesale murderer found him
self looking down into the barrels OF three
shotguns. Obeying Mr.. AcOsta's order
he quietly dropped upon his knees and
threw up his bands, in which position he
remained until handcutfed and securely
chained The other man arrived about
this time, when he too was chained.
No sooner had this been accomplished
than the officers noticed the headlight of
the locomotive, which came tearing
down the track at speed of about thirty
miles an hour. The bar was speedily re-
moved by Mr.. AcOsta, in the accomplish
ment of which he cut his hand very Sc
verely, and then the signal was put out
for the train to stop. This signal was
promptly Obeyed by the engineer, the
train brought to standstill, and the off,
GERS with their prisoners climbed on
board,
There were somewhere between thirty
and forty passengers on the train, and
when they ascertained what the men had
been arrested for it was with the greatest
difficulty that the officers prevented them
from lynching the scoundres. However,
this was averted and the negroes brought
to this city and safely locked up in the
county jail, where they will await hear
ing at the next term OF the Circuit Court.
The negro who placed the iron on the
track and who acknowledged to having
murdered three persons in Georgia was
named John Henderson. The other mans
name was not ascertained.